The Trouble with Oz
by complete-randomalities
Summary: Haven Parker thought her Troubles were over where universe jumping was concerned, but the Author had other ideas. Haven now finds herself in Kansas with a sister, Dorothy Gale. They soon get sent to Oz but it's nothing like Haven has ever seen before. And only the Author knows what's in store for them and those they meet along the way.
1. Ding Dong

_Haven Parker honestly thought that her_ _Troubles_ _were over. At least where the universe jumping was concerned, anyway. However, it seemed the Author had other ideas in mind and wasn't done with her yet because one moment Haven Parker was walking down the streets of Haven, Maine and the next she was somewhere else entirely..._

"Haven? Earth to Haven," those words resonated with her but with the pounding in her skull she didn't give much of a reply.

"Dorothy Gale calling Haven Gale, can you read me?" Dorothy took her hand off the wheel of her truck for a moment to snap her fingers to get her sister's attention. "Hey, are you alright?"

Haven moved her head away from the window with a groan. She was still processing the words she heard along with everything else. As if on auto-pilot, Haven pulled down the visor and looked in the mirror. When she saw her reflection she just about had a heart attack. The only thing Haven recognized about herself was her eyes. Everything else was different. Her complexion, her face, her hair, _**everything**_ and she was starting to freak out a bit because of it. "This isn't right."

"Hey, you're the one who agreed to come with me. Storm or not." Dorothy looked out the window to get a better view of the oncoming storm before taking a glace at her sister. "Haven, what's going on with you? As soon as we got into the car you passed out."

"I – I need to get home," Haven stammered in reply. "This isn't right, I'm not supposed to be here." She turned to face the woman beside her and suddenly her head was filled with everything about herself in this universe: Haven Gale, adopted sister to Dorothy Gale, resident of Lucas, Kansas, etc, etc, etc. It was like Beacon Hills all over again only this time she remembered her true self – Haven Parker – as well. Her lives, her memories were blending with one another. Haven wasn't sure what was worse, that she was stuck in another story's universe or that aside from the fact that the names matched characters from the Wizard of Oz, so far...nothing else did.

"We're almost at my birth mother's," Dorothy replied. "Then I'll take you home and please don't say you're not supposed to be here. I could use the support."

Haven looked out the truck's window and instantly recognized the tornado weather. "I'm so not in Maine anymore."

Dorothy looked at her oddly out of the corner of her eye. "What was that?"

Haven didn't know what else to do besides rip off the band-aid. If nothing else she hoped that it'd bug the Author enough to end the story early and send her home. "Okay, Dorothy, you have got to listen to me. This...this isn't my world. I've said it before and I'm saying it again...I'm not supposed to be here. I'm Haven Parker from Haven, Maine and this is _not_ my world."

Dorothy sighed heavily. "Please tell me you didn't take any of Aunt Em's pills."

"What?! Of course not." Haven put her face into her hands and groaned. "Dorothy, please listen to me!"

"I'm not going to listen to you when you're not making any sense," Dorothy was calm with her words. "When we get home we'll talk to Aunt Em and we'll figure this out, okay?"

"I'm not crazy. This version of me hasn't been for a _long_ time." Okay, even Haven knew how insane that sounded.

"Like I said, we'll discuss this when we get home." Dorothy was always worried that her sister would relapse and have to go back to the institution but for years she's been great. With this outburst now though...she was worried.

"If things are going to happen the way I think they are, we won't be going home for awhile." When Dorothy parked the truck outside the trailer, Haven shot out her hand to stop her. "Dorothy, please listen to me. We're going to get sucked up in the twister and get taken someplace else with singing...little people who grow out of flowers, and pink witches who float around in bubbles."

Dorothy patted her sister's hand tenderly. "We'll get you help, Haven. I promise." Without another word, she went out into the storm to the trailer to check on her birth mother.

"I'm not making this up and I'm not crazy!" Haven shouted as she grabbed her bag and followed after Dorothy into the trailer. When she got there, she saw signs of a struggle, a long trail of blood, and her sister standing over a dead guy's body – a dead _cop's_ body. "Oh my god...wait...where's Karen?" Karen being Dorothy's birth mother.

Dorothy had no idea how to answer that but intended to find out so she darted out of the trailer and back into the storm.

"Why, Author? Why?!" Haven shouted to he ceiling as she pointed above her. "I know you know what I'm saying because you're writing this right now! You are a sadistic person, you know that?! I didn't ask for this! Beacon Hills was one thing but this is messed up!" Once Haven got that out of her system she took a deep breath and headed out into the ever-growing storm.

The wind was howling so strongly that it was a challenge to even walk. "Dorothy!" Haven called out but she didn't see her sister anywhere. "Dorothy!" she shouted again then saw the open door to the storm cellar so she headed that way.

Haven started down the steps then found Dorothy crouched next to an injured Karen. "Oh my god..." It wasn't just the sight of Karen like this that got to her but how AU this all seemed to be. If this was the story of the Wizard of Oz then it was a strange one. And Haven thought Tin Man was bizarre.

"She needs help!" Dorothy shouted to her sister then heard sirens up ahead. She ignored Karen's words telling her no police and to run. "I'm getting you help," she replied then went up the stairs to Haven. "Stay here with her."

"I'm not going anywhere without you," Haven replied firmly and went up with her. After closing the door to the storm cellar, she went over to the Police K9 cruiser while Dorothy called out for help since the officer didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. The wind was even stronger now, so much so that it just about knocked the sister's off their feet, so it was a bit of a challenge.

"Hey!" Dorothy shouted when she caught sight of officer. "She needs help!" When the cop turned his attention to them, he pulled out a gun. "No! No! Don't shoot!" Dorothy shouted and Haven put up her hands as well as she moved around the cruiser.

Before anything else could be said or done, the Twister landed not too far from them and was moving fast. "Get in!" Haven shouted and quickly got into the passenger side of the cop car while Dorothy got into the driver's. They buckled up just before the car was picked up by the tornado.

"I told you!" Haven shouted before screaming because they were being whipped around at a high force. Everything in the cruiser that was loose was being thrown around, the dog in the back included.

Dorothy didn't answer her sister because she was more worried about them getting out of this alive but couldn't shake knowing that Haven had said they were going to be swept up in the Twister. It was just a coincidence though, right?

Dorothy didn't have time to think about it because when they hit the ground then landed right behind a woman in red. Dorothy tried to hit the breaks to prevent them from running the woman over, but there wasn't enough time. The woman was thrown over the car upon impact then they crashed into a tree.

The airbags went off within the car, causing both sisters to slam into them.

Haven wasn't sure how long they were unconscious for but she had one hell of a headache. "Okay, so not a house," she muttered then groaned and turned to Dorothy. "Dor," Haven nudged her sister. "Dorothy, can you hear me?"

Dorothy groaned as well when she came to then they both jumped fifty feet when the German Shepherd started barking in the backseat. "Quiet, Toto," Haven said to the dog before getting out of the vehicle.

Dorothy didn't give herself a chance to process that because she had so much other stuff on her mind. Like where the hell were they for example. They appeared to be in a forest and it was snowing, but she didn't recognize the area. "You recognize this area?"

Haven looked around and shook her head. "I can honestly say no." If this was Oz – which she'd bet big money that it was – she still had no idea which variation it was. It was completely unfamiliar to her and that did not sit well.

Haven looked over at Dorothy and saw she was bleeding. "You're hurt." She rushed over to inspect her sister's wound.

"I'm fine," she replied and moved Haven's hand away. Dorothy then saw the woman in red's body not far away. "Oh god...oh my god." Dorothy rushed over to her to try and help.

Haven followed and sighed when her sister tried to use her cell to call for help. "I doubt we have reception here."

"How can you be so calm!" Dorothy shouted. She didn't understand how nonchalant her sister was being about all of this.

"Because this is how the story goes!" Haven shouted back. "Usually it's a house that lands on the Wicked Witch of the East but in this story she apparently gets run over by a cop car. This is Oz, and probably Munchkinland, though it's not one I'm familiar with. This isn't the first time I've been to a different land and if the Author gets their way it's not going to be the last!"

Dorothy had enough of this. "Haven, stop it! This isn't one of your delusions, okay! Please, stop it!"

"I need you to believe me, Dorothy because I know this isn't a delusion. This universe is real and even though I'm not supposed to be here, here I am!" Haven cried out in frustration and a bit of anger because she didn't want to go through this _again_.

Dorothy got up, went over to Haven, and grabbed the sides of her arms. "Haven, listen to me. I know you believe what you're believing right now but it's not what you think, okay? Please...I need _you_ to believe _me_." She hugged her sister tight before going back to the cruiser to try the radio.

Haven sighed heavily and went into the trunk of the car to see if there was anything that could be used. She was already wearing her lined leather jacket so she gave the officer's coat to Dorothy so she wouldn't freeze. After grabbing the first aid kit, Dorothy found a gun so she took it.

Dorothy packed up anything else they might need then sat on the back of the cruiser and looked over at the woman's body. She was finally getting hit with what was going on. Dorothy took some deep inhales. "Oh my god, what it happening?"

Haven sat next to her sister and rubbed her back. "I already told you."

Dorothy looked at her and honestly wondered if she was being pulled into one of Haven's delusions or something. That was a thing, wasn't it? She shook her head, looking at her. "I can't believe you, Haven."

"And why not?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Because you said that you don't belong here. If this is really happening the way you say it is, then that means you're not really my sister." Dorothy got up and moved around the car as she said, "And I can't accept that."

Haven couldn't leave it like this so she went over to Dorothy and made something very clear. "I may be Haven Parker in my core, but here, in this world with you, I am Haven Gale. And I am your sister. The Author may be twisting things around for their own pleasure, but that doesn't change the fact that Dorothy and Haven Gale are sisters – that _we_ are sisters."

Dorothy felt like she was going insane but didn't want Haven to actually go there again so she would play along for now. "Who is this Author you keep mentioning?"

Haven laughed at the question then sighed as she let the dog out of the backseat. "That's a story for another time. When I'm sure you actually believe me, I just might tell you."

* * *

The sisters, along with the dog, walked in silence for a little while through the snowy forest. When they came to a clearing and looked up at the sky there was a swirl of red clouds that looked like the top of a cyclone without actually making one.

They were about to continue on their way when suddenly the sound of twigs snapping reached their eyes. "What was that?" Haven whispered and looked around to find a group of people who appeared to be children dressed in furs came out from behind the trees.

The children went over to the girls and took their hands to lead them away. "Are these the Munchkins you mentioned?" Dorothy asked quietly as they were being led away.

"I'm going to say yes, but I have no idea..." Haven figured that Dorothy was just humoring her now because there wasn't much else she could do.

* * *

The Gales were led to an encampment of huts where the dwellers were beating upon drums, dancing, and chanting rhythmically. The dog started barking loudly, making all the chanters to stop and turn all attention upon them. "Bad dog," Dorothy whispered because of it, making the barking cease.

A man with a spear and paint upon his face went over to the sisters. He started speaking a foreign language but neither of them understood. Dorothy looked at Haven in question to see if she happened to understand but Haven's face just contorted in a 'how the hell would I know?' way as she shrugged.

Dorothy turned her attention back to the man who had spoken to them. "I'm sorry, we don't understand you. Uhm...where are we? I don't know where we are." If nothing more, the real location might shake Haven out of the bizarre delusion she was cooking up.

The man started speaking in the foreign language again then approached. The dog started barking again in a protective manner. This made Haven smile and say, "Good Toto."

Another man came over, a larger man with blue paint across his eyes. He crouched down in front of Toto and held a finger out in front of him. Within moments, Toto had ceased barking and whimpered, backing away a bit.

"You know our language?" he asked Haven upon standing.

"Uh...no," Haven replied, not getting why he would ask her that.

His answer was simply. "You said Toto. That is dog in our language."

Haven had no idea that was the case here but she wasn't about to say why she really called the dog Toto. "Uh...lucky guess."

"Hmph." He went over to Dorothy and looked her over. "These are the Tribal Free Lands. You two are trespass."

"Tribal Free Lands?" Haven thought aloud because that was not something she recognized.

When the man who spoke started to walk away, Dorothy stopped him. "Excuse me, but I don't know how we got here. If you could point us to the nearest road...look, we could just get a ride from there. Please?"

Haven was getting a bad feeling about this. "Dor, let's just go..."

Dorothy gasped softly when she saw the woman in red laying upon an altar. "You – you found her."

"You know this woman?" the man asked them.

"Don't answer that," Haven urged because she was getting the feeling that these people weren't going to break out in 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead' any time soon.

Either Dorothy didn't hear her or ignored her because she answered with, "There was an accident. And she...she stepped in front of me."

"You killed her." He stated passionately then pointed to the altar. "This woman!"

"I tried to help her..." Dorothy felt horrible about what had happened but she couldn't change the past.

The blue painted man shouted something in a foreign language before looking to the sisters. "Witches."

"Oh, no...no, no, no." Haven waved her hands out in front of her. "We aren't good witches or bad witches. We're just people, so please let us go."

* * *

The Tribal Free Landers had other plans in mind. They captured the sisters and tied them to a bone apparatus to dunk them in water as punishment. "You killed the Mistress of the Eastern Wood, the most merciful and stern." the blue painted man who was called Ojo, accused after pulling them out of the water.

"It was an accident!" Haven shouted after coughing up some water.

"Only a witch can kill a witch," Ojo retorted. "Or the Beast Forever and you are no beasts."

"What kind of Oz is this!" Haven was really starting to get pissed off at the Author for this.

"We are not witches," Dorothy panted. "Why are you doing this to us?"

"I am Ojo or the Tribal Free Lands," he replied. "You are trespass."

The sisters were lowered into the water again and they struggled while submerged but to no avail. They were not allowed breath until they were pulled out of the water again. "Please, no more!" Dorothy cried. "I don't know how we got here, we were stuck in a storm. I don't know anything, I'm no one, but if you have to punish someone then punish me. Please, please, let my sister go."

Ojo leaned forward. "She has sisters as you have. In the West and the North. And the Wizard of Oz. You will most certainly answer to the Wizard of Oz."

Dorothy breathed heavily when she heard those words and looked at her sister. The Wizard of _**Oz**_? They were in Oz? If Haven was right about that did that mean she was right about everything else?

* * *

Ojo released the sisters and returned to them their items. Once they were brought outside, a vote was taken for them to either be sentenced to death of exiled. "We're not going to die," Haven whispered to her sister. "It'd be a pretty boring story if we were killed off in Chapter One."

"When we get out of this, you are telling me everything you know about this place," Dorothy whispered back. "I'm not even going to try and question how you know it, but I need to hear it."

Haven saluted in an 'I got you' way and was pleased to know that her sister was finally coming around. Or at least she was willing to hear her out. One thing was certain though, she wasn't going to even try to theorize anything with the Free Landers around. If Haven guessed the wrong thing who knew what could happen.

"A decision has been made," Ojo informed the sisters. "You are both exiled from the Tribal Free Lands, never to return. I will take you to our border."

Dorothy looked to him and asked, "And then what?"

Ojo's answer was simple. "And then you will step over it."

* * *

Haven lost all track of time as they walked but one thing she noticed was that they were _not_ walking on the Yellow Brick Road. Maybe that didn't even exist in this version of Oz. At this point, everything was up in the air.

As they walked on the wooden pathway on the side of the river, Haven couldn't stop thinking about her home, Nathan, Audrey, and Duke. She wondered if the Author was going to send them here like they did the first time in Beacon Hills, or when they went to New Orleans with the Originals. Haven honestly hoped that the Author wouldn't put them through it again. Did she miss them? Terribly, but she didn't want them to endure the universe jumping again. Especially when this time she had no idea what was coming next. At least, not exactly.

Haven was so consumed with her thoughts that she didn't even hear the conversation Dorothy had with Ojo about liking helping people and essentially being a healer. Dorothy was a nurse after all and Haven, well Haven Gale anyway, was unemployed. She was pulled from her thoughts when she almost walked into the still Dorothy. She noticed Dorothy was looking at something so she turned to the water and saw a huge skeleton of...something. "What the hell is that?"

"Is that the Beast you were talking about?" Dorothy asked Ojo.

"No," Ojo answered as he continued to lead them. "The Beast Forever drown this and hundred like it."

"Godzilla!" Haven nervously joked but Dorothy perceived Ojo's words differently and asked, "So the Beast is a flood?"

"Beast Forever takes many forms," he replied. "Floods that meet the sky. Fires that water cannot extinguish. Monstrosities that slither and soar."

"You know anything about this?" Dorothy quietly asked her sister since she didn't want to draw Ojo's attention.

"This is the first I've heard about it." Haven had never heard of a Beast Forever in Oz. Granted she hasn't read _all_ the books featuring Oz but still. Haven just hoped that they weren't in the story Dorothy Must Die because that would be bad.

Hearing that Haven didn't know about the Beast made her worry so she asked Ojo, "How do you stop the Beast? Who stopped it before?"

Ojo took his walking stick and pointed to a gigantic stone statue of a man. "A Wizard. With those. Eternal warriors. They formed a wall around Emerald City to keep the Beast Forever from flooding our entire world."

Dorothy looked up and pulled her jacket more around her. "Yep, definitely not Kansas."

"Or Maine," Haven added with a sigh and adjusted her bag as she kept walking.

When they reached a fork in the wooden path on the river, Ojo pointed to the right. "Safest way, around mountain. Shortest way, through."

"I think we vote around," Haven answered with a nod.

Ojo had other plans. "We go through." He picked up an unlit torch and headed for the mountain tunnel's entrance.

"Of course," Dorothy said to herself.

"I'm really starting to hate this Oz." Haven tied back her brown with red streaks hair and with a preparatory breath, she followed.

Haven made sure to stick close to Dorothy as they made their way through the narrow passageway within the mountain. Ojo took the lead and soon came to a staircase that he quickly descended.

The sisters slowly went down the jagged stairs and both stopped when they realized what was at the bottom. There was a dead tree in the middle of what looked like a muddy tar pit. There were bodies all around the tree within the tar and it wasn't until they started to moan and move that it clicked with Haven. She gasped loudly and clutched onto her sister's arm. "They're still alive!"

Dorothy almost couldn't believe it. "What is this place?"

"A prison," Ojo answered as he went over to a woman within the pit. "Prison of the Abject. Most secure. For anyone who violates the Wizard's law against magic."

"Who is that?" Dorothy asked when he saw Ojo with the woman.

Ojo gently touched the woman's head in a loving manner. "My wife."

Neither Haven nor Dorothy really knew what to say but Dorothy finally came out with, "I'm sorry."

"You should be," Ojo shot back. "You killed the witch that put them here. Maybe the only one who can free them."

Yep, it was official – Haven _hated_ this Oz.

* * *

They didn't stay at the Prison much longer after that and proceeded through the mountain. There were no other surprises so it wasn't all that long before they made it through to the other side. Once through, Ojo pointed to the brick road below that happened to be covered with a yellow substance. "Follow the brick road. It will take you to the Emerald City. The Wizard will be there. Tell your apologies to him."

"Can this Wizard take us home?" Dorothy asked hopefully. "I just – I really want to go home."

"The Wizard is great and powerful," Ojo replied. "He can get you home."

The sisters walked down to the road and Haven bent down to see what the yellow powdery substance was. She didn't try to smell it, unlike Dorothy who did. Haven could tell it was pollen but wasn't sure what kind and then suddenly it hit her – metaphorically speaking. "Please don't be what I think this is," she thought aloud.

Ojo heard her words and informed them of the substance. "Poppy Pollen. Opium!"

"Poppies will make them sleep." Haven imitated the Wicked Witch of the West's voice from the Judy Garland version when she said that. After that, she waved at Ojo and shouted up, "Thanks for the guide!"

Ojo started to turn away as he said, "Don't thank me. I voted to have you killed."

Haven pressed her lips together as she nodded. "Nice guy."

Dorothy scoffed a chuckle and started walking down the road. "Come on, Toto." The dog, Toto, followed the sisters as they went on their way.

"So," Dorothy began, "what can you tell me?"

"Going off my favorite version here, that this clearly isn't, we're just starting the trek on the Yellow Brick Road which means that we'll be running into the Scarecrow soon enough. He's brainless, sometimes quite literally, and wants to go to the Wizard to get a brain...sometimes quite literally." That was something that a lot of the stories had in common – The Scarecrow of whatever variety was the first person that was met on the way to the Emerald City.

Dorothy was starting to feel weird as they walked. Whether it was the fact she hit her head earlier, the pain medicine she took, or all the poppy pollen around them was the cause she wasn't sure. She was, however, trying to keep focused on her sister's words. After clearing her throat, she asked, "What else can you tell me?"

"So you really are starting to believe?" Haven asked as she looked at her.

Dorothy sighed a bit. "It's not like I have much of a choice."

Haven accepted that. "Look, I really want to tell you everything that I know, and I will, but not all at once. I'm still trying to figure out what's the same and what's different and I'd rather fill you in as we go along then give you all the wrong information and get caught off guard because we were expecting something else, okay?"

Dorothy was too out of it by this point to disagree so she said, "Alright," followed by, "I need to sit."

Haven helped her sister over to a boulder and down upon it then looked up and saw two men who were bound to large wooden crosses, almost as if they had been crucified (but thankfully not nailed). "Guess we found the Scarecrow," Haven said to herself, but those words brought Dorothy to her feet and she went over to the one that spoke, "Help us".

While Dorothy went to help him down, Haven was drawn to the other one. He was covered in dirt and straw and who knew what else but Haven would know him anywhere. She brought her hands to her face and gasped loudly when she saw his face...It was Duke.

* * *

With each other's help, they were able to get the men down. While Dorothy was helping the stranger, Haven was attending to Duke. "Please be alive, please be alive," she whispered over and over as she pulled off the barbed wire from around his arms and untied him. Haven then brought her ear to his chest and heard his heart beating. "Thank god," she whispered then jolted up when he started coughing.

Haven gently cupped his face and turned him so he could look at her. "Duke? Duke can you hear me?"

Duke's eyes weakly opened and adjusted to the light. He didn't recognize the woman who was looking down at him at first but once he looked into her eyes, he knew. "Flipside?"

Haven laughed happily because he recognized her. "It's me, Duke. I'm here."

"I'd hug you, but I can't feel my arms," Duke groaned as he tried to move them, but didn't attempt to sit up. "Where did the Author send us this time?" he asked with gasping breaths because he was in a lot of pain.

"You don't know who you are here?" Haven was surprised to hear that.

"No, do you?" Duke lifted his head a bit and saw another woman tending to the other man who had been bound to the cross.

"Haven Gale at your service, and that over there is my sister, Dorothy." Haven couldn't wait to hear what Duke had to say about that.

Duke took a few seconds to process that. "Gale? As in the Wizard of Oz? We're in the Wizard of Oz!"

Haven moved her hand back and forth a little. "Yes and no. This is Oz but it's unlike any version I've ever seen or read before. You seriously can't remember who you're supposed to be? I got two lives up here." She waved her hand towards her head upon saying that.

Duke weakly shook his head 'no'. "Duke Crocker is all I got."

Haven had a 'hmm' look on her face. "Maybe we got two scarecrows this time and instead of being brainless, you got amnesia."

Dorothy came over at that moment. "Your guy can't remember anything either?"

"Your guy," Duke laughed then winced in pain before adding in, "I like the sound of that."

* * *

After getting the guys cleaned up and their items returned to them that were at the bottom of the crosses – a sword for each of them included – Haven filled Dorothy in a bit about Duke. Dorothy felt like her head was exploding after she heard everything Haven had to say. "Let me get this straight...that guy, Duke whatever, is your boyfriend from your other life as Haven Parker and he's here because the Author – whoever that is – sent him here?" When her sister nodded, Dorothy shouted, "Do you have any idea how insane that sounds!"

Haven simply crossed her arms. "Dorothy, we were sucked into a tornado and transported to the land of Oz. We were accused of being witches, saw the Prison of Abject and like I told you, we found Scarecrow. There just happens to be two of them, kinda. Anyway, when are you going to just take a breath and accept it? Besides, you even said you weren't going to question me."

Dorothy rubbed her temples because this was getting to be all too much for her. "Okay...there's something I have to know." she took a deep breath to prepare herself in asking the question. "When you were institutionalized...was that because you had...problems or was it because of this – whatever this is?"

"I would love to tell you that it was because of my life as Haven Parker, but it's not." Haven took a moment before saying, "Dorothy...I didn't exist here until the Author put me here. All the memories...those are the Author's own making. But like I said before, I'm still your sister. The Author made sure of that."

Dorothy was taking a stab in the dark to ask something. "If this Author is so powerful to send people places and manipulate memories, then why can't they just send us home?"

Haven popped her lips at the suggestion. "Oh, if only it was that simple." She really couldn't get into more detail at that moment so she went back over to Duke and the mystery man to see how they were doing so they could continue on their trek.

Dorothy had so many more questions but right now they had to figure out what they were going to do for food and shelter. "It's getting dark," Dorothy said as she joined them. "We should try and find some food."

"Am I coming with you?" 'Scarecrow' asked.

"I don't know," Dorothy replied. "Are you?"

Duke stiffly got to his feet. "I don't know about this guy, but you're not going anywhere without me." He strained himself to wrap his arm around Haven's shoulders, "I'm not letting her out of my sight."

Haven leaned into his embrace and closed her eyes. Yeah, she wished the Author wouldn't put Duke or anyone else she loved through this but now that he was there...she couldn't stop being glad that he was.

While Duke and Haven slowly walked on ahead, Haven asked, "How did you know it was me?"

Duke smiled at her and answered truthfully. "Your face may change from universe to universe but the Author can never change who you are. I can see it in your eyes."

Hearing that made Haven stop walking to just look at him. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too, Flipside." Duke kissed her head softly then asked, "So, how long do you think the Author is going to keep us here? Think they might write themselves into a corner like with our first trip to Beacon Hills so they end it early? Or you think we won't even make it through the first chapter like with New Orleans?"

Haven wished she had the answer to that but she didn't. She just shrugged and said, "I guess we'll have to wait and find out. And maybe try to stay out of Trouble."

Duke chuckled weakly as he looked at her. "Trouble, huh? You just _had_ to go there."

* * *

The group didn't have to go very far before finding some edible food in the remains of one of the cottages. All the homes and buildings around them and within sight have been burned and destroyed. Charred bodies were all around as well, but neither Duke nor 'Scarecrow' could tell them what happened.

Haven leaned back against the remaining brick wall as they helped themselves to the uncharred fruit that they had found. She looked over at her sister helping 'Scarecrow' with his food since his own arms were too weak to use.

"You have thinking face on," Duke pointed out before biting into an apple.

Haven licked some juice off her lip in thought. "You getting any weird Storybrooke vibes?"

Duke thought for a second. "You mean the place where I was Jack Sparrow, Nathan was Woody, Audrey was Goldilocks, and you were the Tangled version of Rapunzel? No, can't say that I am. Why? You think this is that show's Oz?"

"Could be. I haven't seen their Oz season." It was really bugging Haven that she couldn't figure out what version they were in.

"Ever think that it's the Author's own take on the Wizard of Oz?" Duke thought that was possible enough.

Haven scoffed a chuckle at that. "In our experience, when has the Author been able to come up with a completely original idea and not just pluck us out of our lives to insert us somewhere else?"

Duke opened his mouth to answer but soon closed it.

Haven pointed at him with an, "Exactly," before taking another bite.

Duke looked over at Dorothy and 'Scarecrow' to see that they seemed to be having a moment. "What do you think they're talking about?"

Haven leaned forward a little to get a better look then said, "I have no idea. Still can't read lips." She rested back against the wall again and chuckled, "Just once I would like the Author to allow me to read lips."

Duke groaned as he stood up from his seat on the fallen beam and sat down next to Haven as he said, "They probably think that'll make things too easy for you."

"Or maybe they just like torturing me," Haven countered.

Duke smiled at her teasingly, "Very possible."

Haven rolled her eyes with a scoff before resting her head on his shoulder as the sun set and two moons rose in the sky.

* * *

The next morning, Dorothy and Haven got up before the guys and decided to walk around a bit to get a sense of their surroundings. This time, Dorothy was the one that had things to fill Haven in on.

"You named him Lucas?" Haven was surprised at that. "You do realize you gave him the name of our home, right? Is this a love at first sight kind of thing."

Dorothy looked at her sister like she was insane. "We couldn't keep referring to him as Scarecrow and Lucas was the first thing that came to mind."

"Home is where the heart is," Haven same with a smile, definitely teasing her sister.

"Oh, shut up," Dorothy laughingly said back.

The sisters were on their way back to Duke and Lucas when suddenly they felt very weird and couldn't keep moving. When they tried to take another step, they dropped to the ground. Flashes of the Prison of Abject entered their mind and felt as if they were in two places at once. They could feel the brick road beneath their hands and the muddy tar between their fingers. "What's happening?" Dorothy gasped as the feeling of the Prison was becoming more prominent.

"Wicked Witch ain't dead yet." That was the only thing that made sense to her.

Duke and Lucas had gone over to them by this point to see what was wrong but they too were pulled into whatever spell was being cast upon them.

Haven was right, East was still alive and she sat upon a boulder as she looked down upon them – on the road where they were and the Prison of Abject where they were being sent. Looking to the sisters, she said, "I woke up with the strangest taste in my mouth. _**You**_." East clenched her gold and ruby decorated fist, making the group below all cry out in pain.

East unclenched her fist long enough to ask, "Do you know who I am?"

"Witch," Dorothy groaned. "Ss – Stern."

"Merciful and Stern," Haven corrected as she tried to bring herself closer to Duke but could barely move. All they could manage was getting their fingertips to touch.

Duke and Lucas had the same idea in mind. They both struggled to pull their swords from their sheaths, but East wouldn't let them get that far. With a flick to her hands, she had both blades in her possession. "Steel won't help you, swordsmen. Unless you want to open your neck and end your hurt." East threw the swords to the ground and caused them pain once again. "That's the merciful part."

"Generous," Haven spat before crying out as she felt like her body was being pulled in every direction. What was with the people of this Oz and torture!

East had some more questions to ask. "Why did you come for me?"

"We didn't!" Dorothy shouted with strain.

East didn't believe her. "Are you one of Glinda's girls? Did she send you to kill me?"

"Glinda is here?" Haven thought that might give them a glimmer of hope because she had yet to find a version where Glinda wasn't one of the good guys. Although of East thought that Glinda wanted to kill her, then perhaps this just happened to be the place where she wasn't.

"Glinda of the North," East answered with a tilt to her head. "My sister with her secrets."

"We came through a tornado," Dorothy gasped. "I don't know how but we did."

East wasn't pleased to hear this. "In Oz, nothing good ever comes from the sky. So when something does, we try to send it back in pieces." She reached into Dorothy's bag beside her and pulled out the gun. Of course, she didn't know what it was.

"Put that down," Dorothy warned. "Put that down, it's dangerous."

"I'll be the judge of that," East retorted. "I'll be the judge of everything." With another wave of her hand she made them all scream.

"Don't..." Dorothy started to say but had to catch her breath. "Or you'll die again and forever."

East was not intimidated. "My my. So pretty yet so stupid. Only a witch can kill a witch." She gently touched the gun in her hand. "What does it do and how does it work?"

"Let them go and I'll tell you," Haven chimed in but East didn't agree.

"I don't make deals." East made this very clear. She waved her hand to cause the men even more pain than before.

"Okay! We'll tell you," Haven shouted and looked at Dorothy, hoping she'd get onto her though train.

Dorothy saw the look in her eyes and understood. "You're pointing it the wrong way."

East smugly turned it around so now it was facing her. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Haven breathed deeply. "Squeeze the trigger."

East lifted the gun in front of her and did as she was told. She squeezed the trigger causing the bullet to shoot right out of the barrel and right through her. East was dead in an instant which freed them from her spell.

They all coughed and gasped in relief because of it. Duke pulled himself over to Haven and held her close while Lucas went to Dorothy and took her hand. None of them could say a word at that moment but that didn't mean they couldn't tell they were there for each other.

* * *

Finally they were able to get to their feet and when Dorothy went over to East's body to close her eyes, Haven remembered something. "Ruby slippers," she thought aloud.

"She doesn't seem like the slippers type," Duke replied, referring to the deceased Witch of the East.

Haven had to see for herself because while everything was pretty much different here, there were things that were the same. She went over to East's body and lifted the skirt of her red dress just enough to see her shoes only to find that they were not ruby slippers. "Dammit," she muttered to herself then stood up just in time to see the gold and ruby gloves that were once on East's hands appear on Dorothy's.

Dorothy looked down at her hands to find the ruby gloves fading away. She turned to her sister with questions in her eyes.

Haven held up her hands. "Don't ask me, Dor. I've never seen _that_ before."

Duke interrupted that moment to ask, "This road still lead to Emerald City?"

Lucas looked at him in question. "You remember?" Lucas himself couldn't remember a thing.

Duke was erring on the side of caution with his answer, "Something like that."

"Yeah," Dorothy answered as she put the gun in her bag and the bag over her shoulder. "It leads to Emerald City and the Wizard. He's going to get us home."

"Unless he's nothing more than a man behind a curtain," Haven muttered. When Dorothy looked at her in question she said, "I'll tell you later." She stayed behind for a moment just long to say, "Ding dong," before catching up to join the others.

* * *

During this miles long trek, Haven and Dorothy had been trying to explain the concept of a knock-knock joke to Lucas but they were getting nowhere. Finally Haven completely handed over the reins to her sister and hung back a bit so she and Duke could walk and talk together about what was going on.

"I'm not sure which is funnier," Duke stated as he rubbed his sore leg as they walked, "the joke you're trying to tell him or the fact that he can't understand the concept."

Haven chuckled and gently nudged him. "Be nice. Unlike you he can't remember anything." She put her thinking face on again. "I wonder...You think the Author did that deliberately?"

"What do you mean?" Duke was just grateful that he wasn't completely sucked into his character like in Storybrooke. That took awhile to shake.

Haven pulled Duke onto her thought train. "Lucas can't remember anything, right? You just remember your real life, and I remember both lives as a Gale and a Parker."

Duke still wasn't getting it. "What are you saying, Flipside?"

"I'm saying...well, I'm thinking...what did Lucas and this version of Duke know that the Author doesn't want us to?" Haven looked over to Lucas and Dorothy and Duke did the same because now he was wondering that as well.

"I hate to say this," he sighed, "but maybe we should figure out a way for me to get Oz-Duke's memories."

They stopped talking about when Dorothy came over to them saying, "I've given you guys a few miles, now it's time for me to have a little chat with Duke here."

Haven groaned a bit. "Please don't go all overprotective sister on me."

Dorothy waved her hand behind her to get Haven moving.

Haven rolled her eyes. Teasing Duke, she said, "Good luck" and sprinted ahead to Toto and Lucas.

Duke didn't want to admit it, but this was a bit awkward for him. He noticed the jacket Dorothy was wearing was a police officer's one so he said, "Haven's other sister is a cop, too."

"Oh, well, her Parker sister may be a police officer, but I'm not," Dorothy replied as they returned walking. "I'm a nurse. This was just in the back of the cruiser."

Duke's brow furrowed. "A cop car got sucked up in the tornado? Not a house?"

Dorothy opened her mouth to question that but decided she didn't want to know. Instead she asked, "What are your intentions with my sister? I don't care of this is supposed to be her world or not, she's here and that makes her my responsibility. So, what?"

Duke rubbed his chin and chuckled nervously before answering seriously. "I love her. More than anything." He stopped and turned to face Dorothy a bit. "Look, you don't know me or trust me and I get that. But if there's one thing you can trust is that Haven, she's the best thing that's ever happened to be and I would die for her. There's been a version of me that already has."

He was right, Dorothy didn't know or trust him, but she did trust her sister and she could see the truth in Duke's eyes when he spoke those words. Dorothy let out a heavy breath, "Okay." On a lighter note, she added, "Who knows, maybe between the two us we can keep her out of trouble."

Duke chuckled at that statement. "Really? I mean, have you _met_ her?"

Dorothy just shook her head with a grin in reply and didn't have another thing to say about it.

Haven draped her arm around Dorothy when she rejoined the group. "Road trip song?"

Dorothy laughed, "You can't be serious?"

Haven started moving her shoulders up and down while singing, " _Hit the road, Jack. Don't you come back no more, no more._ "

Dorothy laughed and joined in. " _Don't you come back no more._ "

Duke and Lucas both stopped for a moment to look at the sisters oddly then looked at each other with a same look. They silently agreed to not even ask and just continued walking.

* * *

After hiking for awhile, Haven had enough. "I hate mountains!" she shouted and received and echo in reply.

"You need a break?" Dorothy asked, looking to her sister.

"Me, no, Lucas...maybe." Haven looked back and saw that he was the last one of the group to make it up the mountain path.

Dorothy turned back to Lucas asking, "You need us to slow down?"

"You must really want to get home," was his slightly groaned reply.

"Yeah," Dorothy admitted. "We have people waiting on us."

"People?" Lucas asked then guessed, "Oh, someone you've laid with."

Haven burst out a laughing, "What?"

Duke paused long enough to make one thing straight, "The only person Haven has laid with is me. Not even Derek Hale, Scott McCall, or Captain Hook managed to get into her knickers."

Haven felt her face turning beet red. "Oh my god."

Dorothy even held up her hands because she didn't want to hear any more of this. "I am not taking part in this conversation."

At that moment, Lucas dropped to the ground. "Lucas!" Dorothy exclaimed and rushed over to him. He had a wound on his abdomen that was bleeding. "Put pressure, okay? We're going to get you help."

"Anything in your Mary Poppins bag?" Duke asked Haven who instantly went to check.

"This is Gale's bag nor Parker's, so I don't know..." Haven replied as she looked then pulled out a scarf and brought it over to Dorothy. "Here, use this."

"Thanks," Dorothy answered and used it to rig up a bandage for Lucas' wound until they could find some help.

* * *

After getting the bleeding to stop, they continued on their trek to find someone to help him. "Is he going to be alright?" Duke asked as he helped Dorothy support Lucas.

"Just a little septic, that's all," Dorothy replied then addressed Lucas, "All you need is a shot of penicillin. It's the most common drug in all the world."

"In _our_ world," Haven chimed in. She didn't intend to be a downer, but she had a feeling that this was going to be more challenging than Dorothy thought.

"Right," Dorothy sighed. "In our world."

When they rounded the bend there appeared to be a small village up ahead. "You guys catch up, I'm going to see if anyone has something that can help."

Duke didn't like the idea of splitting up. "Haven we should stick together."

"I'll be fine," she assured and was about to head off but stopped when Duke unbuckled his sheathed sword and handed it out to her, saying "Take this at least. I've seen you use one before."

Haven nodded in an 'okay' manner and took the sword. After strapping it around her waist, she sprinted ahead in hopes of finding some Oz version of an antibiotic.

She went to the first house (that actually looked like a stone structure coming out of the mountain) and knocked on the door. When the man answered Haven quickly started speaking. "Hi, uhm..Sir, my friend is sick and needs medicine or doctor or something?" When he looked very confused, she tried different words, "Uhm, pharmacy...healer?"

"Apothecary?" he suggested.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, glad he understood her. "I need to find the apothecary. Where is it?"

He was reluctant to answer. "She – she don't take to visitors."

"Look, Sir, please. He's going to die if he doesn't get help soon and I actually think my sister might have a thing for him so if something happens she'll probably lose her mind." Haven could see that she was confusing him again so she just took a breath and tried again. "My friend will die. Please, where is the apothecary?"

He understood her words and heard the desperation in her voice. After taking steps outside he pointed up to a tower like home across the pass on top of the next mountain over. "She called Mombi."

Haven turned around to see where he was pointing and sighed exasperatedly. "Great. More hiking."

* * *

Lucas was getting weaker every passing moment but between the three of them, they were able to get him up the mountain to Mombi's place. There was a kid outside the house that Dorothy addressed, "Hey, we're looking for a woman called Mombi. Do you know where she is?"

The boy didn't stick around and took off running like a bat out of hell.

"I'm guessing he was trespassing," Haven stated as she helped ease Lucas to the ground.

Toto started barking when a woman holding a chicken approached them. Dorothy turned to face her. "Please, my friend needs help."

"Your friend is past help," the woman, Mombi, replied.

"Bullshit," Haven shot back. "He just needs some medicine – antibiotics. You got any honey, goldenseal, or chaparral? Or even onions?" She saw the look Dorothy had given her and said, "What? You're acting like I don't listen to you."

Mombi cocked her head towards the little garden nearby. "My herb patch is over there. You can use what you can find and be on your way."

Duke thought there could be something more the woman could do. "Do you want to trade something for your services or what? This guy is dying here!"

Mombi was a bit firmer with her words the second time around. "You can use what you can find and be on your way."

"The herbs are fine, thank you." Dorothy took Haven's hand and brought her over to the patch.

Mombi held her hand out to the thorned vines that covered her front door and opened them. She turned around to look at Lucas on the ground and noticed the symbol of the sword's hilt at his belt. Mombi looked at the others and saw the same kind of sword in Haven's possession. This made Mombi change her mind. Speaking loud enough for them to hear, she said "Forgive me, it was wrong of me not to offer help. Bring him inside. I've got just the thing for him."

"Thank you," Dorothy replied as she sprinted back over to Lucas to help Duke bring him in. "That's very kind of you."

Before Duke assisted, he quietly asked Haven, "You know anything about this Mombi woman?"

"Never heard of her before in my life," Haven admitted before Duke went to help. "I just hope there aren't going to be any surprises."

* * *

Haven helped Dorothy with the herbal remedy for Lucas then sat at the small table in the corner with Duke. Mombi was upstairs doing only she knew what and Lucas was pretty out of it, so Haven spoke freely. "I think we should get out of here as soon as Lucas can move."

"Why?" Dorothy asked, turning away from Lucas. "Is this one of those times where you know exactly what's going on?"

Haven rubbed her forehead with a sigh. "No, I'm not saying that. I just – I don't like not knowing. It's like Beacon Hills all over again."

"The first time or the second time?" Duke asked curiously.

Dorothy interjected before Haven could answer. "Hold on...How many times have you been...other people?" She was still having a hell of a time wrapping her head around the fact that Haven was her Haven and yet not.

Haven's brow furrowed in thought as she returned Duke's sword to him. "Well, there was Beacon Hills..."

"Twice for you," Duke added in.

Haven nodded. "Right. Okay, so Beacon Hills twice, Storybrooke, New Orleans, that stint with the Doctor..."

Dorothy couldn't listen to this anymore. "I think I get the picture."

"Oh, no," Duke scoffed a chuckle. "I don't think you do."

There wasn't time to elaborate before Mombi came back downstairs and joined them. She saw how much better Lucas was already appearing. Looking at Dorothy she said, "Your potion seems to be working. What kind of witch are you?"

"It's just an herbal remedy," Dorothy replied. "And I'm not a witch. Neither is my sister, but we get that a lot here."

Lucas was coming to by this point, but still not coherent enough to speak so Mombi turned her attention to Duke. "And you, how long have you and your comrade been in the Wizard's Guard?"

Duke didn't know how to answer that question because he knew nothing of the Oz-Duke. "Honestly, lady, I have no idea."

Mombi waved her hand towards Duke's sword. "Cross stitch at the hilt. A ceremonial hilt. They are the same." With that, she chuckled and walked over to the fireplace to take a seat. "Wizard's Guard." Mombi picked up a mortar and pestle as she spoke. "So I have a not-witches whose potions raise the dead, and not-Wizard's Guards who carries their swords. What else are you not?"

Lucas was becoming more aware of what was going on, so she sat up straighter and answered. "I don't know what you're asking, but neither of us can remember."

"Liar!" Mombi hissed.

"He's telling the truth," Haven defended. "Neither of them know anything about themselves."

Dorothy added onto Haven's statement. "When we found them in Nimbo they were barely alive." At least she thoughts that were they were found because of a sign she had seen.

Mombi didn't take her eyes off them. "So it was you. I know what the Wizard's Guard did at Nimbo. Burned and tortured. I was there. I saw."

"No," Lucas interjected. "What they did to those people, they did to us, too."

Duke stayed out of this because he didn't remember a thing.

"And yet your carry their swords," Mombi countered, looking to the men. "Whatever you've done...however many you've killed...whatever unthinkable horror you perpetrated...your minds have done the same thing back. Made it un _thinkable_."

Duke was about to say something in his defense but stopped when Haven took his hand and squeezed it. He took that cue to keep quiet and so he did. After all, he trusted her and her judgment.

* * *

When Mombi went outside to her herb garden, Haven got to her feet. "I'm gonna go explore."

Duke set down the tea Mombi had served and went over to her. "Haven, there's no way you're going out there alone. There could be lions, tigers, and bears!"

Dorothy hadn't even considered thinks like that existing and said the first thing that came to mind, "Oh my."

Hearing that made both Duke and Haven burst out laughing. Dorothy's confused expression made them laugh all the more.

When Haven finally felt like she could speak again she assured, "I'll be fine. I won't go far, promise."

Duke wanted to talk her out of it but knew from experience that there was no way he could, so once again he handed over his sword. "Just in case."

Haven smiled before kissing him softly. "Just in case." With the sword in her possession, Haven went out to look around.

"Leaving without your friends," Mombi asked when she noticed Haven leaving.

"Just need some air," she replied, but that was a lie. Haven wanted to see if she could find that kid that was here earlier. There was just something about how he ran off when they showed up earlier. Maybe the boy was trespassing like Haven thought, but the question was why?

"Alright," Mombi answered as she stood. "I will leave the door open for you."

Haven waved to show that she had heard her then started down the path. It was a little while before she thought she head a 'psst' sound. She slowed her pace a bit and looked around but didn't see anyone. It wasn't until she heard the same sound that she came to a complete stop. "I know someone is there so you might as well show yourself."

When a young man came out of the bushes and out onto the path, Haven crossed her arms. "Well if it isn't the trespasser," she teased.

"It's Jack, actually," he replied. "Do you...do you help people?"

"What makes you think I do?" she asked, wondering how she was perceived in this world.

"I saw you with the injured man," was his answer. "If that is your calling then please, I need your help."

Haven wasn't going to agree to anything until she knew what it was about. "Depends. What do you need help with?"

"My friend, Tip, he's being help captive by Mombi."

Haven's eyes went wide when she heard that. "Are you kidding me?"

Jack shook his head fervently. "I could never. Not about something such as this. Will you help me save Tip?"

Haven nodded, "Let's go."

The duo hurried back up the path and back to Mombi's place. Like Mombi had said, the path to the door was open for her so they went right inside but Dorothy wasn't in sight.

"She's upstairs," Duke groaned with a cough and Jack ran right up.

Haven on the other hand went straight to Duke and placed her hand on the side of his face. "What happened?" He looked like he was recovering from being death warmed over.

"Bitch poisoned us," Duke answered then got to his feet. He saw the look of instant worry upon her face and added, "Don't worry, Dorothy made us drink charcoal. We're fine."

Just then, Dorothy came down the stairs with Jack and Tip right behind her. "We have to go, now."

"I _knew_ it," Haven answered with emphasis.

"Rub it in later," Dorothy said quickly then addressed their dog. "Toto, go!"

Toto jumped off the bed and went right out the door while the humans gathered up their things to go.

They were just about to leave when a loud boom came from the upstairs and Mombi came running down them with Lucas' sword in hand. "What have you done with him?" she demanded to know. "Where's the child!"

"He's gone," Dorothy answered and this did not please Mombi.

"You have no idea what you've done!" she shouted at them then screamed hysterically. "I was protecting him! I was saving him!" She screamed loudly and that caused them to all hear a piercing sound that brought them to their knees.

When they became incapacitated, Mombi gathered up the poison and was about to shove it down Dorothy's throat.

Haven saw Mombi pin Dorothy to the floor and couldn't let anything happen to her. "No.." she strained then gained her strength and got to her feet. "NO!" she screamed out and pulled Duke's sword from its sheath and drove it straight through her chest.

After doing this, Haven dropped the sword and staggered backwards as the realization of what she had done sunk in. Duke made it to her before her legs gave out.

Lucas then pulled a pot from the counter and went over to Mombi to finish what Haven had started. With fierce grunts he hit her with it over and over again. Haven had to look away but Dorothy tried to get through to him saying, "Stop...Lucas...Lucas, stop!"

Lucas finally did stop and he threw the pot aside. When he got to his feet and turned around, the blood splatter on him made him look like he just walked out of a horror movie.

Dorothy trembled as she looked at him because she didn't know what to think. Haven and Duke, however, didn't hold what he did against him. After all, they had both done similar...and worse. But now there was a question lingering in their minds – What were they going to have to do in order to survive next?

* * *

End Season 1 Episodes 1 & 2


	2. The Author's not done with us yet

**A/N: Thank you Daystorm for letting me reference your story Edge of Tomorrow in this chapter.**

* * *

While Dorothy and Lucas were sleeping, Haven and Duke sat up for a little bit in order to try and figure things out – Mainly who the Author was. Haven wasn't ready to talk about what happened before, so they talked about everything but.

"What about that one who writes about the blonde girl with the Hybrid and the Black Box thing?" Duke suggested.

"Cube," she corrected as she poked at the fire. "It's a Black Cube and I don't think it's them – completely different universe. Besides, if they were the Author we'd probably have run into Amanda and Klaus by now."

"Well we _have_ run into Klaus," Duke pointed out. "Remember?"

Haven had to give him that. "True, but like I said, completely different universe. Klaus was in New Orleans, not in Whoville with Amanda and the Cube."

Duke laughed at her choice of location. "Whoville?"

"Oh, come on, tell me it wouldn't be hilarious to read about them going to Whoville and running into the Grinch who stole Christmas." Haven thought it'd be hilarious. Getting back to what she was saying before, she said, " _And,_ as far as I can remember, that writer doesn't completely insert them into the other worlds just basically drops them off and lets the chips fall where they may. Where we..." Haven gestured between Duke and herself, "...always have some sort of connection to the world we get shipped off to. We are far more integrated than that every time."

"Whether we know how much or not," he pointed out with a sigh, lying back on the ground.

"Sometimes we know too much." Haven was referring to the times that they didn't remember who they truly were until something happened or the end of the story came. She laid down beside Duke and wondered, "Do you think Audrey and Nathan are here, too?"

Duke didn't have an answer for that. "If they are...who do you think they'd be?"

"Nathan would be the Tin Man, definitely." She saw Duke's 'that was fast' expression and she explained, "He's numb, remember? That doesn't exactly go for the Cowardly Lion."

Duke had to give her points for that. "Okay...what about Audrey?"

Haven let out a breath before yawning, "I don't know. She could surprise me and end up being Glinda." With a sleepy laugh, she closed her eyes and fell asleep in Duke's arms.

* * *

They were jolted awake the next morning the by the sound of a gunshot. "Dorothy!" Haven exclaimed and scrambled to her feet to run over to her sister.

"I'm fine," Dorothy quickly assured then saw Lucas was missing. "Lucas!" Toto ran off towards the shore so Dorothy quickly followed, calling out for Lucas.

"Lucas has the gun?" Duke asked as he walked up beside Haven. "Whose bright idea was that?"

Haven didn't say a word about that and hurried to catch up with Dorothy.

Lucas was down at the beach with the gun in his hand, he was looking at it and trying to figure out what it was. "What's it called?" he asked Dorothy when she approached.

"You shouldn't have that," Dorothy replied and held her hand out for it. "Please give it to me."

"I don't think anyone should," Lucas answered, making no move to give it to her. "What's it called?" he repeated.

"A gun," Dorothy answered.

Lucas scoffed mildly. "When you kill someone with a sword at least you got to work at it." His eyes went over to Haven when she and Duke joined them.

"She was going to kill her," Haven defended. "And you have no right to judge me. At least I didn't bash her head in even when she was dead!"

Dorothy turned to her sister. "Haven, that's enough. Just give me a minute with Lucas, please?"

Haven scoffed and walked away, Duke joining her. "I'm starting to not like that guy," Haven said to him as they walked.

"We've all done things we're not proud of." Duke wasn't exactly defending Lucas' actions, but he had to make sure Haven saw the bigger picture. "The Author is behind all of this. Maybe they're trying to force a wedge between you and Dorothy, using Lucas to do it?"

Haven stopped walking and listened to his theory. "Why would the Author do that?"

Duke threw up his hands with a sigh. "I don't know. Maybe we're not in that chapter yet."

Before another word could be said, there was a loud animal sound in the distance that caught the attention of all of them – Toto included.

"Lions, tigers, and bears," Duke muttered to which Haven added in, "Oh, my."

* * *

The animal in question turned out to be a caged lion in the Circus' of Oz's caravan. One which they managed to hitch a ride on. Duke eyeballed the Jester a little before leaning closer to Haven, asking, "Wasn't there an evil jester in one of the movies?"

Haven thought for a moment then said, "Yeah, the one with the Glee girl as the voice of Dorothy. I've never actually seen it so let's hope there's nothing from that referenced here. It's hard enough keeping all the different versions separate as it is."

Dorothy, who was sitting next to Lucas across from them in the caravan, leaned forward and whispered, "Is something going on that I should know about?"

Haven leaned to close their gap and whispered as well. "Not at the moment. Unless the jester guy over there starts shooting magic from his hat."

Dorothy couldn't tell if she was being serious or not and decided that if Haven knew something was coming that she'd be straight about it, so she leaned back and looked out the window. In the distance there was a cyclone looking thing over a mountain. "What is that?" she asked no one in particular.

"That's the Witch of the East's keep," the Jester answered.

"The Mistress of the Eastern Wood," the elderly Gypsy woman added, "most merciful and stern, is dead. She controlled the weather. Now it mourns for her."

"How'd she die?" Lucas asked, making Haven narrow her eyes a little at him because of it.

"Murdered," the Gypsy woman answered.

No one said a word after that and presently, their caravan came to a stop due to a group of the Wizard's Guard standing in the middle of the road.

"Why have we stopped?" Dorothy asked the Jester who stuck his head outside to take a look.

"Wizard's Guard blocking the road," he answered then helped the Gypsy woman out of the caravan.

Lucas and Duke exchanged 'we have to get out of here' looks with each other before getting ready to do just that. "We should go before they realize we aren't dead," Lucas said aloud then stood to go out the back door.

Haven turned around and slowly stuck her head out the side window to get a look at the Guards. When she saw one in particular, she gasped. "Okay, so not the Tin Man."

Duke heard that comment and looked at her. "What?" When she gestured out the window he looked out as well and saw who she saw; Nathan. "Oh man. Is he ours or theirs?"

"You think the Author would make it easy on us?" Haven asked as she got to her feet, more than ready to go.

"Probably not, and we can't worry about him now," Duke replied and was about to leave as well but noticed that Dorothy wasn't going anywhere. "You coming?"

Dorothy stayed in her seat. "Nope. The Wizard's Guard can take me to the Emerald City. Haven should stay so she can get there too."

Haven had a bad feeling about this, especially with the Guards getting closer. She could see that Lucas was about to speak, but Haven quickly cut him off. "Dorothy, remember when I said that I'd tell you if there was something you needed to know? Well, now's the time. We have to get out of here and hide... _now_." She didn't know for sure if that's what they should do but she would rather err on the side of caution then have yet another version of herself or anyone else die an early death.

Dorothy looked into her sister's eyes and saw the urgency in them. With a heavy sigh she got to her feet. "Fine, let's go."

The group of them, Toto included, snuck out of the back of the caravan and hid behind some nearby boulders in the nick of time because the Guards went right to the Caravan. Nathan and another went inside but of course, found them gone.

They were within earshot so they heard Nathan's voice say to the other Guards, "Find the girls. They must die. NOW!"

"So _not_ our Nathan," Haven thought aloud and Dorothy asked, "Why does he want us dead?"

Lucas looked at the Gale sisters and voiced the only possible explanation, "Because the Wizard wants you dead."

* * *

When it was safe to leave, the group left their hiding place and continued on foot. Dorothy couldn't figure something out, "What did we ever do to this Wizard?"

"I bet this is the Author's doing," Duke chimed in. "And I also bet that they don't even have a reason for it yet."

"The Author does like to get ahead of themselves, don't they?" Haven observed. "Bright side, if that happens they'll cut the story short and we'll get to go home."

"Author who sounds like they have the power of a god or not, why would the Wizard want to kill us?" Dorothy was having a hard enough time wrapping her head around everything as it was, hearing all this talk about the Author – whoever the hell they were – wasn't helping anything.

"Maybe you and your sister are more dangerous than you seem," Lucas suggested.

Dorothy scoffed lightly. "You know, when you finally figure out who you are I hope you turn out to be one of those guys that says 'Hey, don't worry about it, everything will be okay' all the time.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay," Lucas replied with a bit of a smirk, then added, "Once we figure out where we're going."

Dorothy stopped and looked in the distance at East's Keep. "I already have."

Duke realized what Dorothy was referring to and looked at Haven. "She's kidding, right?"

Lucas couldn't believe this either. "The Witch of the East's castle? Are – are you mad?"

"Well we can't go to the Emerald City," Dorothy pointed out. "The Wizard's not going to help either of you get your memories back. He's not going to help me and my sister get home. He's not going to help period. So...we need to find another way."

Lucas wasn't understanding. "I'm sorry, to do what? Get yourselves killed?"

Haven looked at her sister whose eyes were locked onto the cyclone over the Witch's Keep and suddenly it clicked. "Oh my god. We came here in a tornado so you think we can leave in one."

Dorothy looked at her with a 'that's right' expression before leading the way.

"There's no way the Author is going to make it that simple," Duke voiced to Haven and Lucas. "This is a bad idea."

"And yet it seems we have no choice in the matter," Haven sighed. "Fixed event and all that." With that said, she followed after Dorothy.

"Like with the Doctor?" Duke asked when he caught up with her.

"Oh, god," Haven groaned, "I so hope this is going to be a hell of a lot less complicated than _that_."

* * *

During the trek up the mountain Duke asked Haven something he was curious about, "So, you ever gonna tell me about Haven Gale?"

Haven laughed at the question. "I'm still Haven Parker, too, you know." But she could see that he really wanted to know. She sighed, "Okay, well...my parents are – quote unquote – Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, Dorothy was adopted by them. And I spent a lot of my childhood in and out of mental wards."

Duke stopped her when she said that. "Whoa, why?"

Haven shrugged a little. "I – I was convinced that I wasn't meant for this world. That I had magical powers and stuff like that. I saw things that weren't there and heard a language I didn't understand. I'm starting to wonder if the Author gave Haven Gale insight into Haven Parker's life or something. I don't really remember the details because..." She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence because presently they had arrived at the castle and Haven lost sight of Dorothy and Lucas.

Afraid of losing them completely, Haven sprinted around with Duke following. She found them standing in front of an armed man standing guard. "Only one guy, we can take him."

"We're not going to fight him," Dorothy retorted, wanting no more violence. "Is your other life the violent one? Because I don't ever remember you being this way."

"I do whatever it takes to protect those I love," Haven replied. "No matter what life I have, that **never** changes."

The Guard drew his sword and stood ready as he addressed them. "Come to loot?" he asked, his voice deep and precise. "Come to steal?"

"No," Dorothy answered, "we...come for shelter."

"To loot," he replied, not believing her words. "To steal."

Dorothy shook her head. "No. No, we wouldn't do that."

Her words didn't matter for the Guard said, "Your lives I must take in my Mistress' stead. Faith and fealty till the end."

When the Guard took a fighting stance, Lucas drew his sword and did the same. He was a little surprise to see Haven had taken Duke's sword and stood ready to fight beside him. Because of this, Lucas gave Duke a brief look of question.

Duke, who had given up at this point and learned to just let Haven's variations do their own thing, held up his hands and explained, "She was Elizabeth Swann in another life."

Dorothy didn't think this was a joking matter in quickly got between the opposing sword fighters with her hands raised. "Please, no fighting." As soon as her hands went up, East's ruby and gold gauntlets appeared upon then and glistened in the sunlight.

While everyone else was taking this in, Duke went over to Haven and whispered, "Is this supposed to be like the part where they get into the Emerald City because Dorothy has the slippers?"

"I going to say yes," Haven replied, returning his sword to him. "The Author sure likes to change things around, don't they."

The Guard looked mesmerized when he saw the gauntlets then finally spoke. "You wear the elements. My Mistress' gauntlets."

Dorothy looked down at her hands, trying to figure out how the just appeared. "Yes. Yes, I do."

The Guard looked at her in question. "Are you my new Mistress?"

Dorothy looked at her sister to see if this was a time that there was something that she should know what was going to happen but Haven said nothing, so she turned to face the Guard. Going with her gut that this was the best way, she said, "Yes. Yes, I am." She lowered her hands as the Guard knelt down to show her his fealty and the gauntlets disappeared once again.

Duke, not liking the fact that he didn't know where this was going and had a feeling that Haven didn't know either, said to her "We shouldn't have complained about knowing too much, earlier."

Haven was inclined to agree. "Yeah, especially since now we know nothing at all."

* * *

The Guard, believing this his new Mistress had arrived, allowed them entrance into the castle. As he led the way, he introduced himself. "Name is Sullivan, Keeper of the house." He moved a gate open and referred to a body on the floor. "This one cleaned the chambers. Stoked a fire. But running off like he did is a blood crime, Mistress-New-Mistress."

"Running off is a blood crime," Lucas repeated to the others. "Understand?"

Sullivan led them outside, saying, "Mistress never spoke of you. But I heard whispers of an acolyte."

"She felt it was best to keep my secret," Dorothy explained, hoping that it would suffice.

"Did Mistress pass peacefully?" Sullivan asked as they walked. "Were you there?"

Dorothy couldn't think of what to say, Haven could tell this so she jumped in saying, "We weren't there, but we were told she passed very peacefully."

"That helps my heart to hear," Sullivan replied then said, "Mistress-New-Mistress..."

Dorothy cut him off to say, "How about just Mistress?"

Sullivan bowed his head. "Your command."

Since he would do what she said, Dorothy decided to take the next step with it. "Sullivan, the cyclone above the castle, take me and Haven to it."

"Haven?" Sullivan asked, looking to the girl.

"My sister," Dorothy replied, gesturing to her.

Sullivan looked at her in that moment, _really_ looked at her and suddenly he smiled. "Hevan!" he exclaimed with laughter, pronouncing the name as he had in the past and always would. "I should have known that fire!" Suddenly remembering his place, he cleared his throat and bowed his head to Dorothy. "Forgive me, Mistress. I will take you and Hevan to calm the weather before it devours this castle whole."

Dorothy looked at her sister with a 'wtf was that' face and Haven silently answered with a 'I have no idea' one of her own.

Duke had a suspicion though. He was thinking that perhaps there was more to this Haven Gale than any of them realized. A suspicion that Duke could tell, with one glace to Lucas, that he was thinking the same.

Sullivan stopped in the courtyard and turned to Dorothy. "That is why you have come? To calm the weather, yes? You have been trained? The elements are yours, proper?"

Dorothy swallowed a lump in her throat before answering. "Yes, they are mine. Proper."

Sullivan was pleased to hear this. "Good. Then you can train Hevan. But first, you must be purified."

"I'm sorry," Duke interjected because he felt this was something that couldn't be ignored, "but how do you know Haven?"

Sullivan laughed deeply. "Hevan, the Mistress of many faces. Always different yet always the same. Comes and goes as she pleases, or did. My Mistress, my old Mistress had to keep her away. Wizard would not be pleased if she stayed." That was all Sullivan had to say about that and proceeded to lead the way once again.

Haven was in a bit of shock after that and looked at the others. "Did he just say that I've been here before?"

Dorothy couldn't explain it, but maybe she could. "Haven...what – what if your hallucinations...weren't?"

Haven's mouth started to move but no words came out until she managed to say, "What are you saying?"

Duke was on the same wavelength as Dorothy, it seemed, so he said, "Maybe the Author wasn't giving you visions or anything of your life as Parker. Maybe the Author was giving you visions of _here_. Maybe even sending you here somehow."

Haven felt like her brain was going to explode. "I've never been here before in my life."

Dorothy gasped at that moment. "Maybe not that you can remember." Before Haven could ask, she explained, "The medicine, Haven. The doctors finally found one that worked. Maybe it blocked your connection to here somehow. Maybe you're the key to getting us home!"

Haven reached into her bag and pulled out the anti-psychotic medicine that she – as Haven Gale – has been on for years. "You think if I stop taking this then I might know what's really going on?"

Dorothy took Haven's hands in hers, saying, "I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do, you hear me? But if you want to do this and it turns out that I'm wrong, I will give you the medicine, alright?"

Haven took a deep breath and handed the pills over to Dorothy. "I've already taken some since we've been here. I don't know how long it will take to get out of my system."

Dorothy smiled at her sister then turned her attention to Sullivan who was returned and awaited for them to follow.

"Are you sure this a good idea?" Lucas as Dorothy as she went to follow Sullivan. "It seems you are risking your sister's health. Are you willing to do that just to get home?"

Dorothy didn't look at Lucas as she answered with, "I'm willing to risk anything to get home."

Haven hadn't heard this because she and Duke hadn't started following yet. "You really think that I am more than Haven Gale, human resident of Kansas?"

Duke didn't know for sure, but he did know one thing. "Has the Author ever made you simply ordinary before?"

Haven thought for a moment then shook her head because she couldn't think of one instance where she didn't turn out to be or didn't become something more than she started out.

"Then what's to make us believe this time will be any different?" Duke took Haven's hand in his and caught up with the others.

Sullivan was speaking when they joined them, "When you and Hevan are finished with the rituals of purification, you will both dress for the ceremony of the elements and settle the weather. You, Mistress with perform the ceremony, but Hevan must learn." He stopped at a room with white curtains hanging from the archway. "You will find everything to your liking, My Mistress and Hevan."

When Lucas and Duke attempted to go in with them, Sullivan said, "Servant's quarters down the hall. They are empty."

Duke wasn't too keen on leaving Haven but she gave him an 'it's ok' look which he accepted. Just as he and Lucas headed down the hall, Sullivan said, "Swordsmen must surrender their swords. I am the Mistress' Blade now."

They both turned around, neither of them willing to give up their sword. "What about Haven? Are you her Blade too?"

Sullivan looked mildly amused by this question. "Hevan has never needed a Blade before. I do not believe she will need one now. However, if it will ease minds, then yes, I shall be."

Duke saw the same 'it's ok' look on Haven's face and sighed. He undid the scabbard from his belt and handed it over to Sullivan. Lucas, on the other hand, wasn't as willing.

Dorothy stepped in because of this. "Lucas, just give him your sword. Please."

Lucas looked at Dorothy before turning his eyes back to Sullivan. He too removed his scabbard then threw it at Sullivan who caught it with ease.

Now that both weapons were in his possession, Sullivan turned around and walked back down the hall.

Once Sullivan was out of earshot, Lucas addressed Dorothy. "Listen to me very carefully. If you can't do what he's asking of you, he's gonna kill you. And now I can't stop him."

"I don't need you to," Dorothy replied. "All I need is for that tornado to take me and my sister as far away from here as possible. Or for Haven's...whatever it is to kick in and take us home. Whichever comes first."

Lucas was losing his patience. "Dorothy, I may have lost every thought, every memory I ever had, but I do know this: reckless – it's not the same as brave. And that's what you're being with not only your life but your sister's."

Dorothy didn't want to hear another word of this and said, "We're going home." She then walked through the curtains, knowing Lucas wouldn't be able to follow.

Duke and Haven heard their exchanged words and suddenly Haven started to worry. "Why do I feel like I've just become expendable to my sister?"

"Maybe it's starting to sink in for her," Duke suggested, having the same worry as she.

Haven didn't understand what he was getting at. "What?"

Duke looked at her regrettably, "That she's not _really_ your sister."

Haven felt her heart break with that statement, but it was true. Audrey was her one and only _real_ sister. The family she was given in the other universes she got shipped off to weren't truly hers and it pained her every time to realize that. "I'm starting to wish we were the ones with the Cube," Haven thought aloud as she headed for the curtains.

"Why's that?" Duke asked as she went.

Haven stopped long enough to say, "Because at least then we'd know how long we'd be stuck here."

* * *

While they waited for the sisters, Duke paced back and forth while Lucas leaned against the wall. Lucas watched as Duke paced for a little while then finally asked, "You love her, don't you?"

"More than anything," Duke answered, finally coming to a stop, and leaned against the wall near Lucas.

"This Author you speak of," Lucas started to ask then changed his wording, "Even if we remember...none of it is really real? Once the Author sends you back...then what?"

"In our experience, things go back to the way they were meant to be – like we'd never been there at all." Duke looked over at Lucas and said, "While we are here, it's real and when we're gone...well it's not like you'll remember."

"But you do?" he asked thoughtfully.

Duke sighed heavily at that question. "Yeah, we do. We always do. I think that's the hardest part, especially for Haven. There was one time, Haven was given a younger sister but she was killed in a battle. Haven took that very hard and did everything she could to get the Author's attention to get sent back, and she was but everything was different. It was a completely different story."

"What happened?" Lucas asked, for he was curious.

Duke was about to answer but Sullivan walked over and joined them in wait for the Gales. Not about to discuss this in front of him, Duke just waited in quiet.

It wasn't long after this that Dorthy and Haven walked out from behind the curtains. Dorothy was wearing a floor length red gown with a golden leaf patterned tiara. Haven was wearing the exact same patterned gown except it was in emerald green. Duke honestly thought she looked like Fiona from Shrek but was stunning nonetheless.

Lucas was in awe of Dorothy's appearance. "You look..."

Sullivan cut him off, saying, "Like Mistress of the Eastern Wood. Most Merciful and Stern."

Dorothy, wanting none of that, said, "Yeah, can we just settle this weather?"

Sullivan led them to the tower room where the cyclone had formed. He opened the doors to let the women enter. Thunder crashed and the wind swirled within the room. In that moment, Dorothy was starting to worry about this and didn't even attempt to take a step towards the raised platform beneath the cyclone.

Sullivan didn't understand the hesitation. "Sure the Mistress showed you the Lake and the Sharpness? Why do you not use the elements? Why do you not teach Hevan?!"

"Are we supposed to swim in the lake?" Dorothy quietly asked Haven then gasped when water appeared in the room and a creature shrieked that swam within it.

"I take it that's the sharpness," Lucas pointed out.

Duke didn't like this one bit. "Haven, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do," Haven retorted then kissed him deeply. "I love you," she whispered before going over to Dorothy.

Haven held out her hand to Dorothy and said, "We got this, Sis. We've always got it together."

Dorothy took her sister's hand and held tight. It was that moment that the Gauntlets appeared again only now, Dorothy had one and Haven had the other, each on their free hand while the others held on.

With deep breaths, the sisters stepped onto the water and walked across it. They made it to the platform beneath the cyclone. Dorothy turned to look at Lucas while Haven looked at Duke as the wind swirled the loose streams of their gowns, intertwining with one another. They each raised their gauntleted hand into the cyclone and once they did this, they disappeared.

Duke felt a moment of relief because of they were sent home it meant the story was over and they'd soon be back in Haven, Maine – in their own world. Only...they weren't. Duke was still standing there just as he had been before the Gales disappeared.

"Did it work? Are they home?" Lucas asked, turning to Duke.

Duke didn't know how to answer that but he finally said, "Even if they are...the Author's not done with us yet."

* * *

Dorothy and Haven appeared on a platform in the middle of a small river in a forest. Snow was falling all around them and there were items every where. Jackets were thrown around in the trees, there seemed to be a tennis racket sticking out of a pile of rocks, there was even a metal bed in the river.

"This is not where I was expecting," Haven thought aloud and just knew the Author wasn't done with them yet.

"Me neither," Dorothy replied then carefully crouched down and reached out to look at a doctor's coat that was floating towards them. She picked it up and saw the name 'K. Chapman' embroidered on it. Tracing her finger over the name, she whispered, "Mom..."

Dorothy stood up and showed the coat to her sister. "Why...how is this here? Do you know anything, Haven. Has the medicine worn off yet? Do you know anything?!"

"No!" Haven shouted back. "I don't know anything, Dorothy! I don't even remember the details of my hallucinations back then. I don't know anything! I want answers as much as you do, Dorothy. I know you think we're not sisters anymore because of what the Author has done but to me you are my sister and you _**always**_ will be."

Dorothy looked at Haven with tears in her eyes. "You – you think my feelings towards you have changed?"

Haven scoffed, "Haven't they?"

Dorothy placed her hands on Haven's shoulders and shook her head. "No, Haven, they haven't. My need to get home may have blinded me but no matter what anyone has to say, even someone on a power trip called the Author, _you_ are my sister. Nothing will ever change that."

As the sisters shared a much needed embrace, the cyclone returned and picked them back up within it to return them back to the room they came from.

Duke and Lucas were both relieved to see them there. "Haven!" Duke called out and and wrapped his arms around her as she ran to him and did the same. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you," Haven answered and hugged him tight once again before walking down the hall a little ways.

During this time, Dorothy walked over to Lucas and Sullivan as Sullivan exclaimed. "Mistress, the weather! You didn't settle the weather! Why did you not settle? Why did you not teach Hevan?"

"I can't!" Dorothy exclaimed, as she threw her arms out to her sides.

"Of course you can," Sullivan retorted. "You are Hevan's sister. You are blood. You share the elements now. You both walked the Lake and the Sharpness."

Dorothy didn't answer that and raised the white coat she had taken from the river. "How did this get here?"

"You went to the wrong place," Sullivan told her. "You picked the wrong object, Mistress. The remnants will not settle the weather. Those objects belong to Interlopers who never belonged in Oz."

Dorothy couldn't accept that. "No...no – I know this person."

"That's not possible," Sullivan firmly replied. "That belongs to the Interloper. The Wizard of Oz brought Interloper here, himself. To send her back. How could you have seen this person?"

Dorothy looked down before answering. "Because she's my mother."

Sullivan couldn't believe this. "Impossible! You are sister to Hevan. You are her blood!"

"You don't have to be blood to be family," Dorothy replied, giving her sister a smile.

Sullivan looked at Haven and knew it was true. Turning back to Dorothy he exclaimed, "Then you are no Mistress! You are Interloper, too." He drew his sword at that moment but Lucas quickly tried to subdue him.

Haven wanted to help but Duke held her back, saying, "This isn't your fight."

Haven may have stayed where she was but when she saw Sullivan hold the sword to Lucas' neck, she exclaimed, "Sullivan, let him go!"

Sullivan looked at Haven and instantly released Lucas. "Your command, Hevan."

The cyclone in the other room was starting to rip it apart – there wasn't much time now, but Haven had questions to ask. "How do you know me, Sullivan? Tell me!"

"You are Hevan," he simply replied. "Always different yet always the same – a child of Oz." Before she could say another word, he asked, "My Mistress did not die peaceful, did she?" He could tell my the look in Haven's eyes that he was correct, so he dropped to his knees.

"We have to get out of here," Lucas shouted at them because the cyclone was getting worse.

"Come with us, Sullivan!" Haven shouted as Duke and Dorothy pulled her down the hallway. "That's an order!"

Sullivan looked at her with regret. "I cannot," he replied then placed a hand over his heart, "I shall miss you, old friend."

"We can't leave him here!" Haven shouted and tried to get out of their grasp.

Duke knew Haven hated when he did this, but she was giving him no other choice. He picked Haven up and threw her over his shoulder before running with Dorothy, Lucas, and even Toto, out of the castle after he scooped up Haven's bag that she left in the hall earlier.

"Sullivan!" Haven shouted, not only because he had answers but because she felt like she was losing exactly what Sullivan had called her – an old friend.

The group made it outside and far enough from the castle before the cyclone destroyed the area of the castle it set down in then went back up into the sky. They all needed a moment or two in order to recover from that – each of them with their own reasons. Dorothy had to sit down and process what she had just learned and Lucas was right there for her to listen, just as Duke was there for Haven.

"He's gone," Haven voiced when Duke put her back on solid ground. "He had answers and now he's gone."

"We'll find another way to end this story, Haven," Duke assured her. "We'll get the answers."

"He called me a child of Oz, Duke," Haven replied, looking at him with tears in her eyes. "What if I'm not insane? What if all my life I was just trying to get home?" She then took in a shuddered gasp when a possibility came to her mind, "What if my entire life was a lie? Who am I, Duke?"

Duke cupped her face and looked right into her eyes. "No matter where we are sent, you are Haven Parker. You are my Flipside and I love you. Don't let what's happening here make you forget that. You **can't** forget it."

That's exactly what she was afraid was happening – that the line between Haven Parker and Haven Gale was getting blurred and she wasn't going to be able to tell them apart anymore. That's what it was starting to feel like and it scared the hell out of her.

Duke could see the fear and worry in her eyes so he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here," he whispered to her, "I got you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Haven held onto Duke like she was clinging on for life because in a way...she was. The Author had big plans for Haven and she was just starting to get a sense of that. She was also getting a sense of what she'd have to lose in the process and Haven wasn't willing to make that kind of sacrifice just to make the story interesting...not again. After all, this wasn't fun and games...not anymore.

* * *

End Season 1 Episode 3


	3. Where's Dorothy

"I don't remember any version of Oz being this freaking cold," Haven muttered to herself as they walked through the trees in snow-covered forest.

"I think it's been established that we've never seen an Oz like this before," Duke replied then stopped walking because he realized that Haven wasn't following him. He turned around to see her standing by one of the many fallen trees. "Flipside?" Haven stood very still as her eyes seemed to glaze over a bit. Duke had never seen her like this before so he called out, "Dorothy!"

Dorothy was pulled from her conversation with Lucas about how they should have been on the Brick Road – with Lucas pointing out how bad an idea that was – and rushed over to her sister. "The medicine is wearing off. This is where she usually…starts screaming."

Duke and Lucas both looked at her with 'excuse me?' expressions but before anything else could be said, Haven started to speak.

Haven's head dropped down and she started to mutter some words that none of them understood, then her head whipped back with her arms thrown out to her sides – palms up – as she started shouting the unknown language. When Haven straightened her head to look at them, two balls of fire appeared in her hands only to disappear just as quickly because Haven's eyes rolled in the back of her head and she dropped to the icy ground.

Duke and the others ran to her side and Duke carefully supported her head. "Haven? Haven!"

Dorothy felt like she was going to die in that moment. If something happened to her sister because of what she suggested…she'd never be able to forgive herself.

It wasn't long before Haven gasped and jolted into an upright position. She had no recollection of what had happened and looked at the three worried faces facing her. "What just happened?"

"You started speaking in tongues and then conjured fire," Lucas answered matter-of-factly.

Haven laughed when he said that. "No, seriously, what happened?"

"Flipside…that is what happened," Duke replied, completely serious.

Haven's eyes went as wide as they could go as she looked at the three of them. "That's not funny." A part of her was hoping this was a joke. As Duke helped her to her feet, she said again, "Duke, that's not funny."

"It's not a joke," Dorothy said softly and took Haven's hands in hers. With doing so, she felt the residual warmth of the fire. "I don't think Sullivan was exaggerating, sis. I really think you're a child of Oz – More than that…I think you're a witch."

Haven was trying to process this, she really was, but wasn't doing too well. "If I'm a witch, then what are you?" she shot back because she _really_ wasn't taking this well.

No one had a chance to respond to that because a little girl seemed to appear out of nowhere and cling onto Duke for dear life. Lucas and Dorothy both looked to Duke and Haven for explanation, but neither had one.

Haven, pointing to the girl, stated seriously, "That has _never_ happened before."

Dorothy gave her sister a bit of a 'shh' look before crouching before the little girl. "I'm Dorothy and that is my sister Haven. What's your name?" When the girl said nothing, she tried again. "Are you alone? Where did you come from?"

The girl did nothing but cling onto Duke and when she saw Lucas, she left Duke's side and went straight to him.

"She may not understand but she sure seems to know you," Haven interjected then turned to Duke. "Both of you."

"Hey, if I could remember anything about this Oz-Duke, then I'd tell you." Duke couldn't give her a better answer than that.

Lucas pulled the girl off him and set her aside. "Let's move." His attempt to get her to leave him alone didn't work because she went right back to him, holding onto his sleeve.

"We're not just going to leave her here," Dorothy firmly stated. "We're not abandoning her."

"What about going to see the Wizard?" Lucas shot back. "What about going home?"

"She has a home, too," Dorothy stated matter of factly. "She has a family that is probably worried sick about her."

Lucas sighed, "She's not you, Dorothy."

Haven chimed in there saying, "There was a village a little ways back. Maybe she's from there?"

"And what if the Wizard's Guard sees you?" Duke asked then answered his own question. "They'll kill you on sight."

"Is the Author messing with you, Duke?" Haven asked with a raised brow then waved her hand around, saying, "Because what you just said is so out of character for you."

Duke rubbed his face with a heavy sigh. "Fine. We'll take the girl to the village and try to find her family."

Lucas scoffed incredulously, "You can't be serious."

Duke certainly looked completely serious as he said, "It's better than the alternative."

* * *

"Duke and I will stand guard," Lucas told the Gale sisters as they reached the village.

"Toto, stay," Dorothy said to the dog and started walking along with the girl.

Haven was about to follow, but Duke stopped her to place his sword and sheath around her waist.

"And here I thought you would tell me not to try and be a hero in case anything went wrong," Haven teased, smiling at him.

"As if you would listen," Duke answered, clasping the belt in place and making sure it was secure. "If there is any trouble, don't hold back. Don't wait to be saved. We have no idea what the Author has in store for us so you be prepared for anything." He leaned down and kissed her gently before whispering. "Be careful."

"Always." Haven smiled softly and went to catch up with Dorothy and the girl. When she did, she looked at Dorothy curiously because there was an odd expression on her face. "What's up?"

"There are these…shells in the girls ears. When I took them out, she started to freak," Dorothy answered, briefly looking down at the girl.

"That….weird." Haven didn't know what else to say about it.

Dorothy turned to her sister. "I was thinking the same thing." She looked down at the sword held at Haven's waist and asked, "Expecting trouble?"

Haven answered seriously. "With the Author pulling the strings… _always_."

* * *

Haven split up from Dorothy and the girl to cover more ground. She went around asking anyone who might know where the girl came from but found no one hearing of a missing child or losing one. After another dead end, Haven went to go and find them. As she passed a small alley way, hands bolted out and grabbed her, pulling her inside.

Haven used her elbow and cracked the unknown assailant with her elbow before getting far enough away to draw her sword. Seeing Nathan standing there didn't stop her one way or the other. It wasn't until he said,

"Ow. That hurt. I actually feel things here, Haven." Nathan rubbed the side of his head where she elbowed her, looking sore.

Haven narrowed her eyes at him, looking skeptical. "Who are you?"

Nathan had an 'oh, great' expression on his face. "You don't remember me? What did the Author do now? I'm Nathan Wuornos. You're Haven Parker. Any of this ringing a bell?"

Haven put the sword away with a sigh of relief. "Duke and I were worried that you weren't you."

"I am which is a bit of a challenge because I have no idea who this Nathan from Oz is," he replied. "I only have my memories and…"

Haven cut him off. "How did you know I was me?"

Nathan's face hardened a bit when she asked that. "What's the matter, Haven? You don't trust me?"

Haven stepped back a little bit. "You have both sets, don't you."

Nathan drew his sword as he said, "Yes, and my Oz-Self wins by far. The Wizard is going to reward me greatly for this." He was about to strike but what Haven did next kept him from moving another step.

Haven's eyes turned cloudy as she instinctively held her hands out in front of herself and suddenly she started speaking in Witch's Tongue. The spell she cast on Nathan caused blood to stream from his eyes, nose, and mouth as he groaned and tremored. Once the spell was complete he dropped dead to the ground.

Haven gasped and leaned against a nearby barrel, trying to get her bearings. When she saw Nathan's body on the ground she cried out, "No, no, no!" and rushed to his side. "Nathan? Nathan, I'm so sorry."

At that moment, Duke darted down the alley, saying, "Haven, we need to get out of here now," then he saw Nathan's body. "What happened?"

"I – I killed him," Haven cried, hating herself because of it.

"No, Flipside, you didn't. The Author wrote him out of the story. Right now he's back in Maine, probably stuck behind his desk." Duke pulled Haven to her feet and made himself abundantly clear. "You did **not** kill him. You understand?"

Haven nodded, but hated herself nonetheless.

Upon seeing her nod, despite the pain still present in her eyes, he took the sword from her and grabbed her hand. "The Wizard's Guard is everywhere. We have to go."

"Where's Dorothy?" Haven asked, worried for her sister as they started to sneak off.

"I don't know," Duke answered honestly. "But she's not my concern."

Haven yanked her hand from Duke, not moving another inch. "I'm not leaving here without her, Duke."

Duke let out a deep exhale before turning back to face her. "The Guard catches you, you're dead. I'm not going to risk that. I don't care how that messes up the Author's plot, we are leaving this town **now**."

"I'm not going!" Haven exclaimed and tried to run off but felt herself get clonked on the head and knocked out.

Duke scooped her up in his arms with an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, Flipside, but you gave me no choice. Blame it on the Oz me." After looking around to make sure no one was there, he carried the unconscious Haven off with every intention on getting out of there without getting caught. If Haven got pissed then so be it. Duke wasn't going to let this story end with her death…not again.

* * *

When Haven finally awoke, the sun had already set on the horizon. Darkness filled the forest all but the campfire Duke had built. She sat up and groaned at the pain in her head and asked, "What happened?"

"I blame it on the Oz-Duke," Duke replied as he went over to Haven and adjusted the blanket he had wrapped around her that was stolen from the village. "You know I'd never hurt you."

Haven looked around and didn't see Dorothy or Lucas, or even Toto. "Where is everyone? Where's Dorothy?"

Duke looked away because he didn't know. "I couldn't risk you, Flipside. Not again."

Haven looked at him like she was about to wring his neck. "Where is she?!"

"I don't know!" Duke shouted back then more calmly repeated. "I don't know."

She pushed herself to her feet with the assistance of the tree trunk behind her. "How **dare** you! She's my sister! How could you!"

"She's not!" Duke shouted back. "I admit that I've been playing into your Oz-Self but that's not who you are. You are Haven Parker. _Audrey_ is your sister. No matter where we end up, these people…they're nothing to us. It's all the Author's doing."

Haven scoffed at that. "So Stiles meant nothing to you? Or the Crescent Wolves? Or what about Hatter? Are you really going to stand there and tell me that they didn't mean anything to you at all?!"

"It wasn't real," he answered quietly. "None of it was."

"It was real for us, Duke. Every story the Author writes us into makes it real for us. It _hurts_ – I know that better than anyone." Haven took a deep breath. "But we can't ignore it or forget it because every story we play out, every different Self we become, it means something. It has to." When Duke remained silent, she added in, "If you want to stay here and try to somehow outsmart the Author, go for it. But I'm going to find Dorothy because here, in this story, she is my sister and that's real for me."

Haven started to walk away as she said to herself, "Just like Nathan's death."

Duke hated this situation but he wasn't about to let Haven go off alone so he dumped some snow on the fire and took off after her – neither of them realizing they were being followed…..

* * *

End Season 1 Episode 4


	4. Epilogue

Duke and Haven were walking through the snow covered forest in Oz one step and were walking into the Grey Gull the next. It took them both a moment to look around and realize that they were back in Haven, Maine – they were home.

Nathan, who was laying on the floor near the bar, sat up with a groaned, "You killed me!"

"Oh don't be a baby," Haven said as she and Duke helped him to his feet, "it's not like it's the first time."

"How did we get back?" Nathan asked, taking a seat at the bar.

"The Author gave up on us again!" Duke looked up nowhere in particular and shouted out, "Thought you could get the better of us, did you? You just bit off more than you could chew again!" Duke walked behind the bar and smugly poured himself and the others a drink. "They really should reevaluate their writing skills. Or simply give up on us."

"I don't think their skill has anything to do with it," Haven commented as she accepted the cola from him. "I mean…it was actually pretty interesting. They usually are."

Nathan downed the shot placed in front of him and looked around. "Where's Audrey?"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Audrey's voice shouted from the loft above – as if on cue – and moments later she walked through the door with her laptop in hand. A wave of relief moved over her face when she saw them all at the bar. "Thank god."

Audrey set the laptop down on the bar and sat next to her sister. "I went online to watch Emerald City to check on you guys and the site took it off! I was so worried you got deleted along with it."

Duke's expression dropped when he heard that and Haven said what he was thinking, "So that's why the Author sent us back."

"Should we be glad about this or worried?" Nathan asked, looking around at the group.

"I say worried," Haven replied and at the questioning looks she said, "Next time the Author might write us into something they actually own."

* * *

 _ **The End**_

* * *

 **A/N: Hey Readers! I'm afraid this story will have to be cut short because Hulu got rid of Emerald City before I could finish writing this story. I didn't even get a chance to watch the whole season so I don't even know how the show ended. Thanks for reading thus far and keep an eye out for other 'The Trouble With' stories because the Author isn't done with them yet.**


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